routes picks, 4.1.05 1. Gilles Peterson,, Impressed Volume 2 (Universal) the amancio d'silva track is so smoky and lovely. played at a big outdoor party recently, and had many heads turn and/or minds expand 2. Lachichi, Desolation Dub (Angel's Egg 7") heavy lee-perry style exotic modern dub, from 2003. very hard to find, i got lucky 3. Meaty Ogre, Engagement Ring 7" pretty cool shadowesque and express rising-ish hiphop 4. Hu-Vibrational, Friends and Gardens--Corker/Conboy Mix (Soul Jazz) track is dedicated to the almighty don cherry, and it is deep. just think campfire music on, er, lots of mescaline (but not really!) 5. Franky Biyong, All Souls Day (Hot Casa) same thing as corker/conboy, very deep ethereal midtempo afro-house w/ distant vox, harmonica, plucking from the man aka massak. charted his stuff prior... the other tune is also good, and definitely works good clubs.... 6. Thievery Corporation, Pela Janela (18th St Lge) all i have to say is that the verve did this sort of stuff back in '93...but man, it's still good nowadays. this is really tasty... 7. Dwele vs. Bahamadia, (Jazz) a-hem, passed on this months back (something else caught mine eye), and i'm slapping myself silly now. so sexy and deep, and for your favorite open-minded crowd 8. The Earl, Remix Volume 4 (Foot Long Development) one of those producers who always makes stuff that works...and he (or she?, though i doubt it) is getting better and better...ksd has this in the us, and skip at the record room also has copies. 9. Jazz Liberatorz, Force Be With You 12" (Kif) not a bad track in their entire catalogue, and this one i think is the best. side 2 is ridiculously on par with the roots early stuff...instrumentals for all 10. Los Hermanos Latinos, Puerto Rico Mix (LHL) is this a quantic track? whatever, it's killer, and in a tru-thoughts sort of qso sort of way.... 11. Take, Dream Over (Swedish Brandy) not a shabby track in his catalogue either. more lovely ethereal instrumental hiphop 12. 12 Shades of Fantasy, Broken (Play Hard 7") wicked psychedelic jazzercised afro-funk i think. frequently teases you into thinking that it's an accessible tune, but it's not! this is some warped shit my friends...and the introductory comments pretty much sum up how i feel about george bush and co.... 13. Stereotype, Blaze and Cook--PK's Jiggy Mix (Klein) a seemingly basic remix morphs into a modern classic...this is the kind of tune you drop at the pyramids under a full red moon. the women will love it ;) 14. Inverse Cinematics, Vogelhaufen EP (Faces) pretty much what you'd expect from these guys, but with more exploration in mind. couple of out there dance tunes for sure...jazz, brazilian, electronica, house, hiphop 15. Jukka Eskola, 1974/Buttercup (Ricky Tick) nothing too strange, but that's not the point with this label. just imagine you're eating steak in a tight joint, with photos of greats adorning every wall, and you've just ordered your second bailey's and grand marnier. oh, and the entire meal is a business expense cuz you're doing "research". 16. Nadirah Shakoor, just a breath away--yoruba soul dub (yoruba) assuming this is osunlade...the sound of salvation 17. Slow Supreme, javel jazz (jazid) slow building tech-jazz house, with velvety finish 18. Up, Bustle and Out, Tabla Talkin' Dub--Beatfanatic's 'Un Solo Destino' Mix (Routes) coming in may, the next volume of remixes from the bump and hustle, beatfanatic and butch cassidy with two deep dubs with exotic effects and rude swagger. groove distribution is handling this, for domestic pre-orders please visit http://www.groovedis.com, in europe try http://www.soulseduction.com 19. T. P. Orchestre poly-rhythmo, Kings of benin urban groove (Soundways lp) for those with little to no understanding of music from this country, or west africa in general, do yourself a favor and buy this, along with a bottle of good pinot noir and some pecorino romano, sit down in your most comfortable chair, pop the phones on, read them liner notes, and just smile...KILLER! 20. Bobby and nina, life boogie-nina cares (PR records) nina, as in, simone. and it's killer...on the flip a nice afro-beat version with nina as well... 21. Ye solar, hithot/eggsample (vinyl vibes) totally solid, driving brazilian/jazz house. no complains at all about this release... 22. Kidgusto, Basscomb express (Ruegrooves) if you like freddie cruger, then just buy this. kind of like speech defect, james brown and freddie cruger having tea together.. 23. Prefuse 73, shaolin finale (warp) probably the most beautiful tune i've heard this year. the only image that springs to mind is my coral bark japanese maple right after a spring rain. 24. Sabrina Malheiros, maracatureira, incognito mix and accapella (far out) don't what maracatureira is but it sounds nice! summer's here!...on second thought, it's always summer with this label 25. Wes Jones, the lost art ep (label?) very tasty instrumental hiphop 26. JC, 'Abstract Instrumentals' (arithmetics) more tastay abstract instrumentals...some dance floor friendly 27. J. Rocc, Play This (One), (Stone's Throw) killer ep of bangin' breaks and beats and funk from one of the world's best djs 28. DJ Spinna, Nostalgia (Up Above) spinna goes deeeeep on the instrumental...from 2003, apparently will make the next installment of mushroom jazz 29. 12 Shades of Fantasy, I've Got Soul (Play Hard) psychedelic fusion jazz-funk-disco, monster 30. Gerardo Frisina meets Frank Hernandez, Barloventeno Blues' (Deja Vu) what you'd expect, but you still need more of it and you know it...frisina gets better with age 31. Space Hopper, Find Yourself (Om) it's sunday, and people are crusty, but still have one last wind that will take them until dinner...play this and they just might make it 32. Martin Brew, Hopscotch (Fat City) same quality as 29 33. Alice Russel, Hurry On (Tru Thoughts) i don't know about you, but i can't get this song out of my head. alice russel is incredible... 34. Ensemble, 3000 Moments (Wonderful Sound) exotic downbeat in a further out sort of style (think break reform's mix of 'do you love me too?") 35. Harmonic 33, Jungle Mystery (33 Throwdown) how about that? i chart number 33 on the label has got a 33 in the title, very cool. very bumpy and chunky orchestral instrumental hiphop 36. Fabio Nobile, ZoZo--Fukotomi Mix (Deja Vu) great label, great tune...mad percussive latin jazz house...ouch 37. S-Tone, Um Dia de Sol (Schema) old, old tune, but a KILLER!!! summery brazilian house, absolutely lovely 38. Lotus and Strauss, the Grand Masterplan (Yoruba) ool afro-house, in an osunlade sort of way... 39. Martian Gang, Bits of Groove (Jazzy Sport/Faces) that's what i'm talking about, broken-jazzy and tight hiphop, for the cooool heads 40. Skalpel, Break Out--Backini and Paradowski Mixes (Ninja Tune) really sophisticated cinematic jazz mixes here, worth buying...priced to 7.99 in the us 41. Seiji and Spoonface, Ying Yang (Honest Jon's) you know i it, and i love it 42. Tom Tyler, Forwards Going Backwards (DC) really good follow up from tom t, cinematic psychedelic rock jazz and exotica...tasty as the first. 43. and the new Afro-Jazz Pioneers sounds quite good.......dunno much more about it right now except that Groove Dis has copies.... archives of routes picks